The Mirror of Taste, and Dramatic Censor Part 20

_Jos._ Mother? child? oh! it is long since I heard those dear, dear names-- my heart-- my feelings-- (_throwing herself into her arms_) oh!

if I am your child, then mother, mother! be to me a mother indeed!

_Ve._ And do I not prove myself one, my Josepha, when now, in spite of all your past perverseness I again clasp you to my bosom, I again put it in your own choice to live in liberty, in society, in delight? look round you, my daughter! see how every countenance smiles to welcome you; see, how every heart springs towards you; see, how--

_Jos._ (_starting away from her, exclaims with energy_) Ha! now I understand it all! the mystery is cleared! the web is unravelled! yes, yes, the meaning bursts at once upon me, all in the broad blaze of its daring villany, in all the hypocrisy of its deep-laid odious art!

_Ve._ What art? what villany? when kindly I woo you to--

_Jos._ Speak not! proceed not! let not the unholy words pa.s.s through your lips, as you value your own soul! I guess your meaning; oh! then p.r.o.nounce it not; great as are your crimes let me save you from committing one so monstrous as this! the lessons of vice from any lips appear disgusting; but when a woman gives them breath-- tis horrible!

tis dreadful! tis unnatural!

_Ve._ (_aside_) Oh! if I dared-- no, no! it cannot be.

_Jos._ Ah! you melt? oh! then behold me kneeling before you; see my anguish, my fears, my hopes. I have none but in you! remember your s.e.x, your habit, your former affection for me. You loved me once! even now you called me your child, often have you prest me to your heart with all a mother's tenderness-- oh! then by that tender name I charge you, I implore you, tempt me not to vice; rather aid me to persevere in virtue. Let me depart; restore me to my parents; I will never divulge your dreadful secret. It's true I once threatned you; I would fain have terrified you into penitence, but you know my heart, all merciful; you know, that I would not willingly hurt even a worm!-- she weeps! she pities me! blessings on you, eternal blessings! oh, let me hasten-- (_going, Veronica starts in terror: the nuns opposes her progress_)

_Ve._ Hold! detain her! Josepha, that I suffer-- that I feel for you-- it were fruitless to deny; but alas! unfortunate, your fate is decided; your fate and mine! the prior-- the unrelenting prior-- oh, so guilty as I am, I dare not look on death. Yield, then, Josepha, yield! all hope is lost to you--

_Jose._ Nay, not so, lady! strong as are my fetters, heaven may one day break them; but robbed of innocence, then, indeed, not heaven itself could save me. When rains beat heavy, the rose for awhile may droop its head oppressed; but the clouds will disperse, and the sun will burst forth, and the reviving flower will raise its blus.h.i.+ng cup again; but all the flames of the sun and all the zephyrs of the south can never restore its fragrance and its health to the once-gather'd lily.

_Ve._ Alas, alas! to protect you is beyond my power! you will be plunged once more alive into the grave-- will be deprived of every comfort--

_Jose._ No, lady, no! even in the depth of your subterraneous dungeon, one comfort still is mine, and never will forsake me: tis the consciousness that my sufferings are transitory, but that my reward will be eternal; tis the consciousness of an hereafter! tis this which supports me during all my daily sorrows; tis this which irradiates all my nightly dreams. Then this poor wretched globe with all its crimes and all its follies rolls away from before me: then all seems fair, and pure, and glorious: cherubs shed the roseate l.u.s.tre of their smiles upon my stony couch, and guardian saints encourage me to suffer with patience, to hope, and to adore!-- such are my dreams: now, lady, paint if you dare, the visions which you behold in your own.

_Ve._ She tortures my heart; her reproaches fire my brain-- I can endure them no longer-- remove her! away!

_Jose._ (_kneeling_) Oh! drive me not from you! pity me! protect me!

save me!--

_Ve._ I cannot! I dare not! take her from my sight, and-- and for ever!

_Jose._ (_rising_) For ever? no, cruel woman; do not hope it! listen to these sighs; look upon these tears! in your gayest happiest moments, such sighs shall scare away delight; when you lift to your lips the cup of pleasure, you shall find the draught embittered by such tears; and when that hour arrives which you dread so justly, a form like mine shall stand beside your pillow and a voice like mine shall shriek in your ear-- "Welcome, murderess! welcome, to that grave, to which you sent me!"

_Ve._ Insupportable! away with her! she kills me!

_Jose._ Oh! let me stay yet a few moments more! let me gaze but a little longer on the lovely, friendly, blessed light! let me still hear a human voice, even though it threaten me; let me still look upon a human face, even though it be the face of an enemy; (_the nuns endeavour to force her away_) mercy! mercy! help me-- aid me!

_Venoni_ rushes in by a side door.

_Venoni._ Who shrieks for help-- for mercy! I-- I will give them!

(_Veronica and nuns utter a cry of surprise_)

_Ve._ Ah! a stranger?

_Jose._ (_bursting from the nuns with a violent effort_) Tis he! tis he himself! save me, Venoni! oh! save me, save me! (_she rushes to throw herself into his arms, and sinks fainting at his feet._)

_Ve._ Venoni, betrayed, undone! Lucia! (_she whispers Lucia._)

_Venoni._ She knows me! look up, look up, unfortunate! I will protect you! I will preserve you, and-- Josepha! tis Josepha! speak to me, Josepha! oh! speak to your Venoni!

_Ve._ But one moment is still ours-- (_to Lucia_) fly! hasten! (_Lucia goes off by the door through which Venoni enters._)

_Venoni._ The monsters! the barbarians! oh! my beloved, how have the wretches made you suffer.

_Jose._ Suffer! oh say but that you love me still, all, all will be forgotten.

_Venoni._ Do I love thee? oh, heaven! thou, my soul! my life! best half of my existence! but come, let us quit this hated place-- let us away, and-- (_to Veronica_) nay, lady, shrink not at my approach: how you may answer to the viceroy, be that your care; but dread no reproaches from me! I shall respect that sacred habit, though you have felt for it so little reverence; I shall still remember your s.e.x, though you seem yourself to have forgotten it. Give me the means to quit the convent-- furnish me with the portal key--

_Ve._ (_confused_) My lord-- the keys-- they shall be produced-- I have sent for them-- even now you saw a sister leave the chamber-- she returns-- I hear her-- speak!

_Lucia_ returns.

_Ve._ Have you found them?

_Lu._ I have.

_Venoni._ And where are they?

The _prior_ rushes in followed by monks.

_Pri._ Here! art thou found again, my fugitive? --seize him.

_Jose._ Venoni! oh, Venoni!

_Pri._ Tear them asunder.

_Jose._ No, no! I will never leave him! while I have life, thus thus will I cling to him; if I must die, it shall be at his feet. (_they are forced asunder_) oh! cruel, cruel men! (_she sinks into the arms of the nuns-- Veronica is in the greatest agitation_)

_Pri._ Away with him! (_he precedes; the monks, bearing Venoni, follow him_) Venoni, your death-hour has struck!

Father _Michael_ rushes in followed by the _Viceroy_, &c. and grasps the prior's arm.

_Mi._ Tyrant, no; twas for thyself it sounded.

The monks release Venoni, and the nuns Josepha; the lovers fall into each other's arms-- at the same time the folding-doors are burst open, and the marquis, _Hortensia_, &c. enter.

_Hor._ (_speaking without_) Where is she? where is the abbess?

_Jose._ My mother's voice? here, here! my mother, behold your Josepha at your feet.

_Hor._ Powers of mercy! she lives, she lives! my Josepha! my joy my treasure! oh, can you forget--

_Jose._ Every thing, every thing-- except that I am still dear to you.

_Vice._ Officers, you know your prisoners! remove them, their sight is painful, (_the prior is conducted away by the guards; Veronica is leading off when Josepha addresses her_)

_Jose._ Lady-- you felt for me-- you pitied me; I too can pity and feel for you-- if I have influence, you shall find mercy.